Farmers struggle to sell mangoes due to lack of market in Mancherial

Around 50,000 tonnes of mangoes are expected to be produced in the district this year

Mancherial: Mango farmers are struggling to sell their produce following lack of marketing facilities in the district, one of the largest producers of mangoes in Telangana.

The mango crop is being raised in 17,538 acres in the district this year as against 18,000 acres and 17,000 acres cultivation in 2024 and 2023 respectively. Around 50,000 tonnes of mangoes are expected to be produced this year.

Nearly 1,000 farmers from Nennal, Jaipur, Bheemaram, Bellampalli, Thandur and Mandamarri mandals have been growing the crop in orchards for many decades.

The industrially-developed district is known for producing over 60 varieties of mango fruits including Banganapalle, Kala Mamidi, Dasheri, Totapuri, Goa, Panchadara, Cherukurasam, Malgova, Jishan, Mallika, Sundari, Himayat, Neelam etc., The value of the mango fruit production is assessed to be Rs 200 crore per annum.

Farmers of the fruit crop, however, are facing inconvenience due to lack of marketing facilities in the district. They are registering poor profits in raising the crop. They stated they were now forced to depend on markets located in Hyderabad and Nagpur of Maharashtra to sell the produce by shelling huge amounts on transportation and shelter.

Madhukar, who raised the mango crop in his 4 acres of farm, hired a vehicle to sell the produce weighing 20 tonnes in Nagpur of Maharashtra. He opined that he could have earned more profit if a market was set up in the district.

He stated that depending on the far-flung markets was affecting their profits and requested officials to ensure marketing opportunities in the district.

Officials said that a market was sanctioned for the convenience of the mango farmers in 2015, but it was yet to become operational. They stated that due to fund crunch, the facility was under construction.

A water purifying plant, compound wall, internal CC roads and a mango cover sheet have been constructed so far. Officials of the marketing department traders were not coming forward to obtain licenses to buy mangoes from the farmers for unknown reasons even as awareness was being created among them.

However, efforts are being made to begin the process of procurement of the mangoes in the district, officials said.